Device for forming non-adhesive bacon slices



May 22, 1962 B. COHEN ETAL DEVICE FOR FORMING NON-ADHESIVE BACON SLICES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 19, 1960 m 6 Y mm? E N m WM z m w w am 47 a: m 1 M May 22, 1962 1. B. COHEN ETAL 3,035,540

DEVICE FOR FORMING NON-ADHESIVE BACON SLICES Filed April 19, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Arrazms Y United States Patent 3,035,540 DEVICE FOR FORMING NON-ADHESIVE BACON SLICES Israel B. Cohen and James M. White, both of R0. Box

1493, Knoxville, Tenn., assignors of one-half to Gustave Miller, Washington, D.C.

Filed Apr. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 23,314 9 Claims. (Cl. 11815) This invention relates to a device for treating bacon slices or the like, and it particularly relates to a device for forming non-adhesive bacon slices.

Bacon is today generally sold in the form of pre-sliced, pre-packaged units which are made up by the manufacturer or distributor and supplied in such form to the retailer. By the time the bacon reaches the consumer, the slices have usually become so adhered to each other that it is most difiicult to separate them from each other without breaking them up. This is particularly so when the slices have been subjected to refrigeration.

In order to overcome the above difiiculty, it has been found that when certain edible oils are applied to the bacon, such oils being capable of remaining fluid at relatively low temperatures, the tendency of the bacon slices to adhere together is largely overcome.

Various methods of applying the oil to the bacon were then proposed. Among such methods was the application of the oil to the slicing knife which was then supposed to transfer the oil to the bacon. This, however, proved to be inefiicient and highly wasteful of oil.

Another proposal, such as shown in US. Patent 2,803,214, was to spray the oil directly on the bacon by means of a'valve-controlled spray nozzle, the valve being operated in synchronism with the rotating knife to apply the spray while the knife was in the non-slicing position. However, this required unduly complex and expensive gearing or the like and the valve, furthermore, often could be subject to clogging, especially when there were impurities in the oil.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the aforesaid difliculties by providing an oil applying device which is relatively simple in construction but which is highly effective in applying the oil to the bacon slices so as to make them substantially non-adhesive.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an oil applying device of the aforesaid type which can be easily operated by anyone without requiring any great amount of skill.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an oil applying device, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly efiicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a machine embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view taken on line 3- 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 1.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a machine, generally designated 10, comprising a framework 12 on which is mounted an electric motor 14. The shaft 16 of motor 14 is connected through a conventional transmission means 18, which may be a gear train or a pulley and belt, of a suitable ratio to a shaft 22. Coaxially mounted on shaft 22 are a rotatable slicing knife 24 and a rotatable guard disc 26. The knife 24 and disc 26 are retained on the shaft 22 by means of collars or locking nuts 28 and 30.

Extending from the motor 14 in an opposite direction from shaft 16 is a shaft 32. The shaft 32 extends through a bearing 34 on the upper end of a standard 36 and is provided with a pulley 38. The pulley 38 is connected by an endless drive belt 40 to a pulley 42 mounted on a shaft 44. The shaft 44 journaled in bearings 46, is drivingly connected through a conventional transmission box means 48 such as a gear reduction train, one end of a threaded rod 50 which is positioned under a table or rail assembly 52.

The table 52 is adapted to slidably support a slab of bacon or the like indicated at 54. Slidable on the table 52 is a pusher plate 56 which is adapted to push the slab 54 constantly against the knife 24 and disc 26. The pusher plate 56 is urged against the slab 54 by means of a nut 58 in threaded engagement with rod 50. As rod 50 rotates by means of its connection with motor 14 it threadedly tends to move nut 58- and therefore plate 56 toward the knife 24 and disc 26. This is in timed relationship with the rotation of the knife 24 and disc 26 because of the actuation of all these elements by the same motor 14.

The knife 24 and disc 26 are arranged within a housing or shroud 60, this housing 60 not only serving as a pro tective guard for the knife 24 and disc 26 but also as a protective shield for an oil spray adapted to issue from a nozzle 62 positioned in front of the housing 60 and in line with the slab 54.

The nozzle 62 is connected by a conduit 64 through a coupling 66 to a conduit 68 leading to a pump 70. The pump 70 is operated by an electric motor 72 to which it is connected by shafts 74 and 76 engageable through friction clutch means 78. The pump 70 is fed with oil through a conduit 80 connected by coupling 82 to a conduit 84 leading into a supply tank 86.

A filling extension 88 for supplying oil to the tank 86 is provided at the upper rear portion of the tank 86 and this extension 88 has an open upper end removably covered by a cap 90 having a knob 92. At the front end of the tank 86 is provided a stepped portion, the lower end of which is defined by a filter screen 94 positioned over an opening in the tank.

The spray from nozzle 62 is directed against the disc 26 which rotates in front of the knife 24. However, just preceding the knife, the disc 26 is provided with a pcripheral recess 96 (see FIG. 6) on its periphery, As this peripheral recess 96 comes into alignment with the nozzle 62, it provides an opening permitting passage of the spray onto the end of the slab 54 just before that end is severed by the knife 24 to form a slice. The severed slice then falls down onto a conveyor belt 98 operated in any conventional manner around a pair of rollers 100 and 102. The slices are indicated on the conveyor 98 by the desig nation 104.

The excess oil from the spray which impinges against the face of the disc 26 falls either onto the slices 104 on the conveyor 98 or onto an inclined drain trough 106 under the conveyor 98. This trough 106 inclines down toward the filter screen 94 covering the corresponding opening into the tank 86. The return oil flowing back to the tank through the filter screen 94 is re-used in cyclic operation. However, when the amount of oil in the tank falls below a desired level, it is replenished through the filling opening in extension 88.

After the oiled slices 104 fall onto the conveyor 98 they are conveyed to a packaging station generally indicated at 108.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description. is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A device for decreasing the normal adhesiveness of slices cut from a" pre-formed slab comprising a framework, a knife supportedfor rotation on said framework, a guard disc mounted for rotation on said framework coaxially with said knife and simultaneously rotatable therewith, drive means for rotating said knife and disc, a slab support on said framework for supporting a slab behind the knife and adjacent the peripheral path of rotation of said knife, means on said framework urging said slab against the knife, a peripheral recess in said disc immediately preceding the knife in the direction of rotation of the knife and disc, said peripheral recess being positioned to move into alignment with said slab support during rotation of said disc, a spray nozzle onsaid framework in alignment with said slab support, said disc being interposed between said noule and said knife, a source of sprayable fluid, means connecting said source to said nozzle, and means to receive slices cut from said slab by said knife.

2. The device of claim 1 and said means for rotating said knife and disc being an electric motor mounted on said framework and having a motor shaft drivingly connected to both said knife and said disc.

3. The device of claim 2 and said motor having a second shaft drivingly connected to a threaded rod, said rod being in operative threaded engagement with a threaded collar depending from a pusher plate adapted to slide on said slab support behind the slab, said pusher plate constituting said means for urging said slab against the knife. 7 I

4. The device of claim 1 and said means to receive slices'cut from said slab comprising a conveyor.

5. The device of claim 1 and a drain trough below tion a support for said slab, a rotatable knife. having av path of rotation adjacent said support, a rotatable disc mounted coaxially with said knife and rotable simultaneously therewith, an opening in said disc in advance of said knife in the direction of rotation of said knife and disc, said discbeing interposed between said nozzle and said knife, a spray nozzle in alignment with said support and in opposed relationship to that face of said disc which is remote from said knife, said nozzle being in a position to become aligned with said opening in said disc during rotation of said disc, a tank in fluid connection with said nozzle, drain means for receiving excess fluid sprayed from said nozzle, and means for recycling said excess fluid back to said tank.

7. The device of claim 6, said means for recycling said excess fluid including a filter means to filter said fluid prior to entrance back into the tank.

8. The device of claim 6, said means for recycling said excess fluid including a motor-actuated pump between said tank and said nozzle.

9. The device of claim 6, said support for saidslab being provided with a pusher means urging said slab against said knife.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hensgen Aug. 20, 1957 

